This disclosure is related to superconducting wire, method of manufacture thereof and the articles derived therefrom.
Superconducting wires comprising multiple filaments are often used in a variety of electromagnetic applications, such as magnets, motors, and transformers. Recently, magnesium diboride (MgB2) was found to exhibit superconducting properties. It is thought that magnesium diboride may be an alternative to conventional superconductors such as niobium-titanium (NbTi) or bismuth, strontium, calcium, copper and oxygen (BSCCO) in the 20–30 K and 0–3 T range for the fabrication of conductor tapes or wires. One process for the development of magnesium diboride wires has been to expose boron filaments to magnesium vapor. This process has not resulted in the development of large lengths (greater than 500 meters) of superconducting wire. It is therefore desirable to develop a method for obtaining magnesium diboride wires of lengths larger than or equal to about 350,000 feet.